BELLEFONTE, Pa. — The judge in the Jerry Sandusky child molestation case issued a gag order Monday covering prosecutors and the former Penn State football coach’s defense attorneys.

Judge John Cleland wrote in the order that both sides are now barred from publicly voicing any opinions about the defendant’s guilt or innocence or speaking to the media about the evidence in the case.

Sandusky, 68, is accused of sexually assaulting 10 boys over a 15-year period and is scheduled to go on trial June 5. The former Penn State defensive coordinator has pleaded not guilty and is under house arrest.

In his order, Cleland cited “the unprecedented publicity generated by the case” and restricted both sides from making statements about “the reputation, character, credibility or criminal record of the Defendant or any witness” who is expected to testify at trial.

The order comes after a hearing last Thursday in which defense attorney Joe Amendola withdrew his motion for the charges to be dismissed.

The reversal by Amendola prompted an angry response from senior deputy attorney general Joseph McGettigan III, who derided the hearing as “pointless” and accused Amendola of deliberately trying to delay the trial.

Cleland has already pushed the trial back by three weeks after Amendola said he needed more time to prepare his defense.